Over 200 Dead in DRC Coltan Mine Landslide

More than 200 people, including around 70 children, died in a landslide at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, according to the country's mines ministry. The disaster struck the site, a major global source of the mineral used in electronics and aerospace, amid heavy rains that destabilized the area.

The ministry reported the deaths on Wednesday, noting that many injured miners were evacuated to health facilities in Goma, about 70 kilometers east of the mine. Officials attributed the collapse to prolonged rainfall over recent days, which caused earth and debris to bury workers in the open-pit operation. The mine, located in North Kivu province, has been under the control of the M23 rebel group since early 2024.

A senior M23 official provided a starkly lower casualty estimate earlier, telling reporters that only five or six people died in the incident. The group, which dominates the site's security and taxation, did not immediately respond to requests for further comment on the ministry's figures. Another M23 official acknowledged the role of heavy rains but emphasized that operations continued despite prior warnings.